Sectional partition or panel structure



"1,62 ,2' Apl 'll 26, 1927. F B. WHEAT 6 59 SECTIONAL PARTITION 0R PANEL STRUCTURE Filed Dec, 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4a INVENTORY FramflZ/I fiml v ATTORNEYJ 1,626,259 F. B. WHEAT, SECTIONAL PARTITION OR PANEL STRUCTURE Filed bee. 10. 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 {3/ I I i INVENTOR- 5;, ATTORNEYS- Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES FRANK 1B. WHEAT, OF 'LOS ANGELES, CALTFORNIA.

SECTIONAL PARTITION OR YANEL STRUCTURE.

Application filed December 10, 1926. Serial No. 153,977.

. This invention relates to partition or panel structures which are made up of a plurality of sections whose meeting edges are adapted to be concealed by pilasters, said sections and 5 pilasters being so interlocked as to permit the same to not only be readily assembled but to also permit them to be disassembled. For this reason the partition 'or panel structure of the present invention might be termed a portable one. I

One object of the present invention is provide a sectional partition wherein the same elements which serve to lock the pilaster to the meeting edges of two sections also serve the purpose of locking said two sec- .tions together.

A further object of the invention is to provide the partition sections and pilasters with interlocking elements which lie either flush with or below the surfaces of the partition members whereby said members may be conveniently packed for transportation.

. Further, by having the locking elements lying at least flush with the surfaces of the partition sections or pilasters, there is no danger of said locking elements becom ng damaged or rendered unusable during transportation.

Another object of the pilaster and the partition sections which will permit the pilaster first assembled against the partition to be simply placed against said partition and the interlocking. elements then brought into locking engagement. This renders it unnecessary to move the pilastervert ically or longitudinally of itself when it is being assembled. Of course,

the pilaster last assembled on the opposite 40 side-of the partition must be moved vert cally; when assembling it against the partition sections.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevational view'of a see- I tiona-l partition embodying the present improvem'ents.

Fig. 2 is a vertical the artition showing the pilasters locked in p ace.

Fig. 3 through a-portion only of a partition showing the meeting edges tions and the ilasters locked in place.

Fig. 4 is a etail view of one of the partition sections showing the position the lock-' pilaster 11 the invention is to pro- "30 vide a form of interlocking means between 'hook members 13 which serve as latches sectional yiewthrough is a horizontal sectional view" v A, When the partition is bemgassembled-the. of two partition secing elements thereon are adapted to occupy previous to assembly.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing a partition or panel where a pilas'ter is used on one side only of the partition or panel.

Fig. 6 is a detail illustration of the looking elements carried by the partition sections and the pilasters. A

The partition may, of course, be of any desired length, but, in the present instance, it is only necessary to describe :two juxtaposed sections in order to fully disclose the invention. In the accompanying drawings the joint formed between the meeting edges of two juxtaposed sections 10 is adapted to be concealed by "a pilaster 11 overlying the joint at one side of the partition and by the I on the opposite side. The lockmg means for securing the pilasters to the two'sections 10 are also utilized for locking the I two partition sections .themselves to-' gether. ln the present instance, this is accomplislied by having lockin elements secured to the meeting edge of each partition section 10 adapted to project into recessed portionsin the pilasters and there interlock with locking elements on said pilasters. whereby the interlocked locking elements on the sections and pilasters firmly secure the pilasters to the sections, and those portions of the locking elements on the sections which project into the recessed portions of the pilasters serve to preventmovement of the two sections 10 away from each other.

In' the preferred form the locking ele-. ments on the edgesof the sections 10 consist of a plate-12 pivotallysecured to the sections 10 and-saidplates are formed with adapted to engage behind locking plates '14 on the pilasters, the pilasters being recessed adj acent each interlocking plate so as to permit the hook portions 13 of the plates 12, to engage behind said locking plates 1 14. Previous to assembly of the partition the locking elements Ben the partition sections 10 are adapted to lie in a position where they I willbe located flush with or beneath the side surfaces of said partitions as shown in Fig.

two sections 1 are properly placed together and apilas'ter is then positioned over the joint formed at he meeting edges of said sections. The locking elements 12 .are then turned on their pivotal centers so that the hook members 13 at one end thereof engage behind the locking plates 14 on said pilaster. Assuming the pilaster 11 shown in Fig. 2 to be the first one to be assembled, pilaster 11 is then placed against the opposite side of the partition with its locking plates 14.- slightly above the protruding hook members 12%. The pilaster is then lowered so that said hook members engage behind the locking plates 14 thereon. In this way the two pilasters are firmly locked to the partition section and by reason of the protruding hooked ends 13 of members 12 projecting into the recessed portions-of the pilasters the partition sections themselves will also be firmly locked together. In this connection, it will be understood that each of the meeting edges of the two panel sections carry similar locking members 12, the members on one section be,- ing positioned intermediate the members 12 on the other section vertically of the joint formed by the two sections. In other words,

alternate locking members 12 are on the edge. of one section 10 and the other alternate looking members 12 are on the edge of the other section 10, the total number of locking members on the tWo sections corresponding to the number of locking plates 14 on one pilaster It will be understood, of course, that the present invention is also adapted for use in panels as well as in partitions. It can also be used for counter fronts or for panel wainscoting or in other similar instances where a pilaster isused only on one side. Where such use is made of the invention I the locking plate let'is screwed or attached to the concealed face of each two juxtaposed panel sections so as to engage the hook members 13 at one end of the locking members 12 carried by said panel sections. In instances such as these the hook members 13 are first turned to their lateral position and the pilastersavhich are to be used for inoving the joint at the front of the counter front are then placed over the protruding hook members 13 of the locking members 12.

In either instance the pilaster or pilasters will be originally locked in place and by reason of the fact that each of the two meeting edges carrylocking members 12, the

sections themselves will be firmly locked together. Other advantages consist 1n the 5 lower costs of production of the locking elements and not only areisuch locking elements of plain and strong construction but they are also so arranged on the panel orpartition sections and on the pilasters that they cannot very easily be damaged prior to assembly.

What I claim is:

1. A sectional partition or panel structure a pilaslying the joint between said sections, and

. ing element ture comprising two juxtaposed sections, a

pilaster separable from the sections and overlying the joint between said sections, and cooperating locking elements on said pilaster and sections for locking said pilaster to said sections and for locking said two sections together.

3. A sectional-partition or panel structure comprising two juxtaposed sections, a pilaster separable from the sections and overlying the joint between said sections, catches on said pilaster and cooperating latches on said sections for locking said sections together and for locking said pilaster to said sections.

4. A portable sectional partition structure comprising two juxtaposed sections, a pilaster overlying the joint between said sections at one side of the partition, cooperating locking elements on said sections and pilaster securing said pilaster to said sections, and a pilaster on the opposite side of v the partition overlying said joint, said last 7 mentioned pilaster being secured to the partition by the locking elements on said sections.

5. A portable sectional partition comprising two juxtaposed sections, pilasters at opposite sides of said partition overlying the joint between said sections, a pair of looking elements on each pilaster, and a locking element on each partition section, the lockon each section engaging one locking element of each pilaster.

.6. A sectional partition comprising two juxtaposed sections, a pivoted locking element on each section, a-pilaster on each sideof the partition overlying the joint between said sections, and locking elements on said pilasters, the pivoted locking elements being adapted to be turned into looking ongagement with the cooperating elements on the pilaster first assembled against the pars tition and the pilaster last assembled against the partition being adapted to bemoved longitudinally of the joint to bring its locking elements into engagement withthe'locking elements on said sections.--

7. A sectional partition comprising two juxtaposed sect-ions, locking elements on the meeting edges of said sections and capable of lying beneath the side surfaces of said sections, a pilaster overlying the joint between said sections and locking elements on said pilaster, the locking elements on said sections being pivoted whereby they may b 1% joint between said sections, locking elements on said pilaster, and. pivoted lockin elements on each of the meeting edges 0 said sections adapted to'be turne on their pivotal centers into enga ment with the looking elements on the p1 aster.

9. A sectional partition comprising two juxtaposed sections, a pilaster overlying the joint between said sections, locking elements on said pilaster, and pivoted locking elementson each ofthe meetin edges o fsaid sections adapted to be turn on their pivotal centers into engagement withthe locking; elements on the pilaster, said pila'ster being recessed to recelve said pi\ oted-locking members, said pivoted locking members cooperating with said recessed pilaster to lock 7 the two partition sections together. I

FBANK B, 

